Religion

cbayer

(146,218 posts) Sat Apr 4, 2015, 10:48 AM Apr 2015

What the climate movement must learn from religion

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/apr/04/climate-change-campaigners-evangelism-religion-activism

George Marshall

When preaching to the unconverted, activists need to offer the road to Damascus, not guilt and blame

A Billy Graham rally. ‘In evangelical crusades people are called upon to step forward to accept a change in their life – what Billy Graham called the “altar call”, or a moment of public commitment.’ Photograph: Shannon Stapleton/Reuters

Saturday 4 April 2015 10.00 BST

Last September 40,000 people attended London’s largest ever climate march. This was a big achievement for an issue that struggles to catch people’s attention. After all, as psychologists point out, it is notoriously hard to mobilise people around issues that are invisible, uncertain, set in the future and require them to make sacrifices.

Or is it? This Easter, more than 2 million people will attend church in Britain to celebrate the Christian resurrection. They will agree to constrain their most primal drives in return for long-term rewards that are not just uncertain but fundamentally unknowable.

Put this way it seems obvious that the climate movement might learn some important lessons from religions – the world’s oldest and, in many countries, fastest growing movements. But to say so is anathema and contravenes two rigidly policed boundaries: one between science and faith, and the other between liberal environmentalism and conservative religions. Climate scientists are particularly keen to keep well away from the language of belief. Australia’s chief scientist, Ian Chubb, complains: “I am asked every day ‘do you believe in climate change?’ But it’s not a belief. It’s an understanding and interpretation of the evidence.”

Evidence, though, comes in many forms. Social research shows clearly that the scientific data of climate change has proven unable to galvanise action. Cognitive psychology, supported in recent years by brain neuro-imaging, provides plentiful evidence that our analytic reasoning may accept the data but that we are only compelled to act by emotional triggers based on our values and core identity.

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What the climate movement must learn from religion (Original Post) cbayer Apr 2015 OP

religion, like political movements, has different strains guillaumeb Apr 2015 #1

Yes, money is also a big motivator. cbayer Apr 2015 #2

I disagree - I think climate activism offers much recourse to salvation or forgiveness muriel_volestrangler Apr 2015 #3

guillaumeb

(42,641 posts)

1. religion, like political movements, has different strains

Reply to cbayer (Original post)

Sat Apr 4, 2015, 11:45 AM

Apr 2015

In Christianity there are some who believe, based on Old Testament verses, that man has a God-given right to dominion over all things, and some among them feel that gives man the right to do whatever he chooses.

Other Christians believe that Christ's call for man to be a good steward means that man should be respectful of the earth and its resources.

But when the author states:
"Evidence, though, comes in many forms. Social research shows clearly that the scientific data of climate change has proven unable to galvanise action. Cognitive psychology, supported in recent years by brain neuro-imaging, provides plentiful evidence that our analytic reasoning may accept the data but that we are only compelled to act by emotional triggers based on our values and core identity."

an excellent point is made, but I would add that, for a very influential few, the word "values" is interpreted primarily to mean "that which increases my personal wealth" rather than abstract notions of social good. I am thinking primarily here of the Koch brothers and other rich people who consider that their personal enrichment overrides everything.

Excellent post.

cbayer

(146,218 posts)

2. Yes, money is also a big motivator.

Reply to guillaumeb (Reply #1)

Sat Apr 4, 2015, 11:51 AM

Apr 2015

I heard a story yesterday about how they are considering tiering the price of water in CA based on consumption.

When it starts to hit people's wallets, they start to pay attention, but it's regressive in many ways. Those that use the most water often don't care what it costs.

Glad you like the article. So did I.

muriel_volestrangler

(101,390 posts)

3. I disagree - I think climate activism offers much recourse to salvation or forgiveness

Reply to cbayer (Original post)

Sun Apr 5, 2015, 06:50 AM

Apr 2015

Because environmentalists do not recognise conviction, we do not recognise despair or grief. We have contempt for doubt and no one is ever at hand to “walk through it together”. We expect people to deal with their hopes and fears in isolation, constrained by a socially policed silence and given no encouragement other than a few energy-saving consumer choices and the odd petition. Nor is there any discussion of forgiveness for ourselves or our forebears. As Hunter pointed out to me, we give people a heavy moral load of guilt, responsibility and blame, but no way out. The critics are right in this regard – if climate change really were a religion, it would be a wretched one, offering guilt, blame and fear but with no recourse to salvation or forgiveness.

People are constantly given ways to do their own little bit - energy efficiency measures, walk or cycle more, and told this is how we'll solve the problem. They're not told "you emitted X tons of carbon dioxide already - that will always be your personal guilt". There is a bit of fear - of what we may do to the planet if we don't change - but it's not as much as the fear of everlasting hell if you believe that's real.

As for " no encouragement other than a few energy-saving consumer choices and the odd petition" - well, you can vote for a Green party. There's a whole political movement.

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